Chapter Three

A month passed since I had been detained. I had almost completely forgotten I was a prisoner. My wounds all healed nicely and I even gained some weight giving me fuller curves. I could also take long hot bathes and found my hair grew softer even my complexion became brighter. I decided my best course of action would be to test the bond. I caught the omega that served me before he left, my face bright red as I built the courage to speak.

                         "C-can you ask Maverick…T-to come tonight." I felt my eyes begin to tear up. The Omega knew me and my traumas, she had always pitied me. She patted my hand and looked at me with sympathetic eyes.

                                      "Of course Verica." More people were calling me name, I felt almost like I was a normal pack member but a few people calling me name without hostility couldn't change the years of pain I suffered. I gripped my stomach trying hard to mentally prepare for Maverick's arrival. A few hours passed and the moon rose to its peak, I thought I dodged a bullet for a moment when it hit me. Maverick's scent. I looked towards the door where he stood casually leaning against the threshold.

                  "You summoned me?" He asked trying to keep his tone gentle. I could tell how much my reluctance had been hurting him, he was genuinely trying and all I could do was flinch away and tremble like a wounded puppy. I cleared my throat, looking away as I tried to find the right words to say.

                           "W-would y-you like to s-sleep…here. With me." I could feel my body shaking. That was painful trying to get out. I peeked at him, his face was expressionless as he stared at me, intensely. I never thought about him rejecting me. He wouldn't reject my request would he? The longer the silence settled the heavier my heart became. I felt foolish. A bright pink of embarrassment painted my cheeks as I curled up into my knees. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

                Before I knew it I could feel his arms scooping me up. I hadn't realized how big he was compared to me until He sat there cradling me like I was a sad child. He ran his warm hands through my hair. It felt so, soothing. I didn't even realize it had put me asleep until I woke up the next day underneath something heavy. I looked around and realized he spent the night! I tried to wiggle away but I was trapped in his embrace. I could feel the panic rising but I focused on that memory of him petting my head and I began to relax some. Had we made progress? Rather, had I made some progress accepting him? Maybe that was the power of the bond. No matter what, two enemies could grow to love with time and patience. I decided to embrace him back a little and found he was awake.

                      "Shouldn't touch a sleeping person, it could be considered rude." His sleepy voice was oddly more alluring, perhaps because it was naturally gentle. I snuggled into him more.

                               "Should I stop then?" I said jokingly but he tightened his grip. I knew he didn't want to let go and to be honest, neither did I. We spent the day together watching movies and talking. He liked to play music and going for swims at the lake. He preferred mild food over spicy. He hated horror movies, he preferred comedies. He preferred savory to sweet. His favorite color was blue. He told me the most mundane things and I felt myself slowly falling deeper in love. Though we weren't really that alike, we weren't terribly different. My biggest obstacle would be getting over the trauma I had experienced in this pack, something he took into account when he hid me away in a cottage by the lake just on the edge of the pack territory. He even un-cuffed my ankle and allowed me some freedom. Everything felt so surreal, I swore it was a dream until someone's voice broke the peaceful dream. Emilie.